Improvement in machine foe scouring sheet metal



H. B. WOSTER.

Polishing Sheet Iron. No. 82,780. l Patented Oct. 6, 1868.

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HORACE B. WOOSTER, OF-WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO WATER- BURY BRASS COMPANY.

Lettere Patent No. 82,780, dated ctober 6, 1868; antedateol April 6, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINE FOR SGOURING SHEET METAL.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY` CONCERN':

Be it known that I, HORACE B. WOG'STER, of Waterbury, in the county of New Haven, and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and improved Machine foriScoui-ing and Cleaning Sheet Metal; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will `enable those skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawing's, forming-part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 represents a longitudinal sectional elevation of my improved scouring-machine.

Figure 2 is a plan or top view of the same. i

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The object of this invention is to clean or scour sheet brass and other similar metal, after annealing, either before or after itis finished, without the use of sand or `other similar material; and it consists in a novel arrangement and combination of circular wire brusheshmovabl'e riders, and a rotating winding-up cylinder working automatically, as hereinafter described. v

By the processes heretofore employed for scouring -or cleaning metal after itis annealed, the use of sand or other suitable material is indispensable.

This is objectionable for many reasons, and particularly because line particles' of the sand cling to the surface of the metal, and remain there even after the metal is rinsed, subsequent to the scouring operation, and such particles of sand are then rolled into the metal by the finishing-rolls.

So, too, if the metal is scoured after'it is finished and annealed, particles of sand will still remain on the surface of the metal while it is being worked up into other articles. fr

Moreover, the sand will' scratch the surface of the metal, and leave its marks thereon, if used after `the metal is finished. v

By my improvement, the use' of sand is entirely dispensed with. n

. A, in'the drawing, represents the framework of the machine, of any proper material and description.

B and C are circular wire brushes, for scouring the under and upper surfaces, respectively, of the metal, their axles having their hearings in the frame A, as shown.

b and c are two riders, parallel lto the surface of the brushes B and C, respectively, and capable of being adjusted towards or away from the brushes by means of4 screws d d, or by other Yequivalent devices, so as to be adjusted to the thickness of metal to be scoured, and'to the diameter of the brushes B and C, as they are worn smaller by continued use. D is a revolving drum or cylinder, upon which themetal is wound, and which draws the :netal through the machine. A

The end of the metal is drawn through the machine, and attached to the revolving drum or cylinder D, in any suitable manner, either hy means of a slot, or simply by being wound around the cylinder.

The brushes and drum are set in motion by means of a system of cog-wheels or gearing E E, in such manner that the surfaces of the brushes, when they touch the metal, revolve in a direction opposite to that in which the metal is drawn, as is indicated by arrows in tig. 1.-

By properly arranging the size of the cog-wheels, a much greater velocity is given to the brushes than to the metal.

By practice, I have found that the brushes should revolve with a velocity at least ive times as great as that of the metal.

F F are revolving guiding-rollers, whose oice is to give direction to and define the path of the metal as it passes through the machine.

They keep the metal in a line with the surface of the brushes, and are adjustable so as to accommodate their position to the surface of the brushes, as the diameter of the brushes is diminished byuse.

senso 2 The metal being thus drawn through in the path indicated by the red line in the drawing, and nttachedto the revolving cylinder, the movable riders being in proper position to keep the metal against the brushes, the operation of' cleaning, scouring, and polishing the metal is quickly and easily effected.

The metal, after passing through the machine, is tightly Wound or wrapped around the cylinder D.

To detach it from the same, :my of the common methods for giving the cylinder ii reversed motion may be I employed.

When the drum is revolved in an opposite direction from that in which it turned while winding up, the metal will, when held fast, loosen itself, so as to be easily removed from the cylinder. Y

The cylindermay be made hollow, fitting around a revolving shaft, and keying into the same, in which case the cylinder with the metal upon it may be slipped ol'l` the shaft, and replaced 'upon it with the ends changed, which will give a reversed motion to the. cylinder.

Or, instead of one shaft,vtwo shafts revolving in opposite directions may be used.

I claim none of these methods for changing the direction of motion ofthe cylinder, as they'are all old and well known to mechanics. Y j 1 The movable riders may be in the form shown, or of any other suitable shape or construction.

Instead of having the riders adjustable towards the brushes, the brushes may be made adjustable towards the riders in any suitable manner, so as to force the brushes against the metal, or the brushes may be set closely together, and the metal run between them. I prefer, however, the method shown to either of these modifications.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The described arrangement of the revolving brushes B C, guide-roller F, windingsup roller D, gearing E, and adjustable riders b c, all operating as described, to polish thin elastic strips of sheet metal, as herein set forth. i

2. The revolving brushes B and C, in combination with the adjustable riders b and c, all made and operating substantially as herein shown and described.

3. -The described arrangement of the cylinder D with relation to the revolving brushes B C, and adjustable riders Z1 c, for winding and unwinding the sheet metal in the manner herein set forth and shown.

HORACE B. WOOSTER.

Witnesses:

GEO. E. TERRY, H, F..BAssErT. 

